Black Sky
by xKairix
Summary: HS Fic. The sky is darkening and wearing a mask has never been so hard. Naruto has to learn how to survive as his life turns upside down as he joins a gang and falls in love with a new transfer student who just happens to always get in the way. NxS
1. Dull Colours of Hope and New Life

**Yes! xKairix is back with yet another exciting and thrilling story that will make you stare in awe at my brilliance! And twitch your eyes at my boasting... Which can be explained!**

**This story has got to be one of my best yet, although I haven't really finished any apart from One Shots because I'm so busy and keep coming up with new ideas for FanFics/One Shots because of the inspiration around me. Thank you to all who have inspired me even though I may not know who you are!**

**Full Summary: AU/HS Fic. The sky is darkening and wearing a mask has never been so hard. And just when he thinks about dieing, Naruto has to learn to survive in the world as his once lonely life turns upside down as he joins the violent and scary but ever so caring gang and falls in love with a new transfer student who just happens to always get in the way. Can his life get any worse without having enough enemies? Pairings include NxS, and more!**

**DISCLAIMER: xKairix does not own _Naruto_ or any of the characters. This is merely a fanfiction that xKairix made up. However, she does own the plot and would appreciate it if it was not copied for any other stories or creations unless given permission by xKairix. Thank you!**

**Enjoy**

* * *

**Black Sky**

Chapter 1: Dull Colours of Hope and New Life

_And then it came like the dancing leaves in the light autumn breeze when the tree drifts off to let nature take its toll and let it shine with dull colours of hope and new life._

A tired and annoyed sign escaped from his lips that were starting to bleed from biting it. It happened everyday, and so why was he not used to it?

"IRUKA-SENSEI!! LOOK WHAT NARUTO DID!!"

Oh right. It was because everyday, the troublesome blonde would always have something else up his sleeve to pull off, which was impressive since his annoying habit started years ago, back in Kindy.

"Naruto," Iruka signed exasperatedly, trying to keep his anger from showing and releasing his fury, "say sorry to her."

The 10 year old boy stared at him for a second as if considering it, then turned to the girl who was drenched in black liquid, that was oozing its way to the floor and to other children's feet who were scuttling away – _Ew! _they cried. It caused uproar as children climbed onto desks to get away from the gooey black liquid and some started throwing it around the class. Black gooeyness started to fly around the room at speed and squeals and shrieks soon followed even faster.

The Third World War started in just one little classroom.

Iruka helplessly watched as his afternoon class turned into a war zone. He gritted his teeth. There was no other choice…

Gathering up all his courage and sanity left, he exhaled.

"EVERYBODY, STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!!"

Everyone suddenly stopped and froze. Their eyes wide and mouths gaping open like silly little goldfish. They could only stare at their teacher in disbelief and anything else they registered in their mind – _Woah…_

A naughty brown-haired boy stared and the bit of goo from his hands slid down his ready-to-throw arm and landed on the floor with a _plop!_ The timid girl with pale eyes didn't notice it. Same with the girl with the black liquid oozing down her body; she too stood there gaping at her teacher, who also stood there in disbelief – _Did I really shout out _that _loud?_

All in all, there was an awkward and amazed silence.

"Tehehe…"

Well, almost.

"BAHAHA!!" Naruto wiped the invisible tears from his eyes as he rolled on the floor in dying laughter. He started hiccuping soon after his outburst died down.

Iruka signed exasperatedly. "Naruto," he growled, "go to the Principal's office right now!"

"Yes-," Naruto hiccupped, "-Iruka-sen-…" He burst out into another laughing fit.

Again.

Iruka held the door open for Naruto as the blonde giggled his way pass. He quietly slammed the door shut after he knew the blonde was on his way to the Principal's office. He turned around with a half-hearted smile. "Well then class, let's clean the place up!" a tired and lopsided grin lazily crawled onto his face.

"How troublesome," a spiky-haired boy signed after looking up towards the ceiling directly above him and saw some black liquid oozing its way down – _Uh oh…_

--

The man signed in frustration as he tried once again to explain to the grinning boy in front of him who just kept on grinning as he didn't 'understand' what the older man was trying to explain to him.

"Ne, ne." Naruto kicked his feet up as he slouched down even further in the comfy chair. "Old Man! (The nickname caused the old man to groan) Can you explain it to me once more?"

The old man gave up and took another breath from his cigarette. He leaned back in his sleek and elegant black chair as he closed his eyes and started to enjoy the quietness that started to swallow the room.

"Gasp!" a very, _very_ annoying and familiar voice shrieked.

Sarutobi grumbled something under his breath and reluctantly opened his right eye to peak at the accusing blonde in front of him. "What is it _this_ time?"

"You're smoking in-doors! And even worse, the _Principal's _office!" Naruto pointed accusingly at the old man, his mock horror still plastered on his face.

"I _am_ the Principal, God damn it!" the old man bit back and tried once again to enjoy silence at its peak.

He half expected the loud blonde to snap something rude or stupid back but only heard silence. A smile curled his thin lips after a tired and content sign escaped his lips.

Oh, how good things never last for long. And this wasn't long at all; only a few seconds.

"Gasp!" came the very, _very_ annoying and familiar voice again. Without waiting for a reaction, he continued, "Old Man said bad words! Ooh, that's detention for you!"

An eyebrow twitched on the old man's face. If he wasn't the Principal or teacher at the school, he would've strangled the adolescent on the stop for disturbing his silence – hell! He would've strangled the youngster a long time ago!

But even if that was the case, he still cared for the young blonde deeply. He was like a younger son he never had, although his grandson was looking up to him a bit too much. He couldn't afford to have another 'Naruto' causing havoc and so for the pass few years, he has been _trying _to teach Naruto how to behave properly. But although no matter how hard he tried, Naruto was still Naruto.

Oh the joy you get when all your hard work gets brushed away by a simple blonde boy.

Hint the sarcasm there by the way…

"Naruto," the old man growled with a very serious tone in his voice.

Naruto, catching the serious tone, stopped laughing and looked at the old man square in the eye.

"I know this is hard for you, but," Sarutobi paused to choose his words carefully, "you can't keep pulling pranks on everyone for attention. Try being nicer to them and they might respect you-…"

"Exactly!" Naruto snarled. "'_Might'_!"

Sarutobi gave Naruto his best glare and continued. "Right now, you're life isn't worth living like this and I hate seeing you live it like this; so much that I don't want to know you-…" Sarutobi froze. He couldn't believe he had just said that to Naruto. He could see the grin on the poor blonde's face starting to fall off and smash onto the floor. "Naruto, I mean-…"

"No," Naruto grinned forcibly, trying to keep the grin hanging for the time being. "I understand. Well, I-I have to go now. Iruka-sensei is going to be mad," he chuckled weakly. "See ya Old Man." Naruto hauled himself off the comfy chair and walked out of the office. He didn't look back as he closed the door.

Sarutobi signed. He got up from his chair and stared outside the window to view the beautiful garden. A frown creased his face and wrinkles deepened. "No." He shook his head to clear off negative thoughts. "He'll be his normal self again soon…"

Naruto trudged down the halls. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his blue eyes. Hairs on his neck stood up as he felt people's gaze on him from the classrooms as he walked pass them.

It was quiet. Too quiet. Something that many people didn't think he knew of.

But he knew of it alright.

He lived in silence.

His parents had died, murdered to be precise. No one knew what happened but the police had confirmed that it was murder and that they would try their best to find who murdered them.

But they never did find the murderer. Or even tried.

Namikaze Minato, the father of Naruto, was a well respected man who helped serve in the army. He saved thousands by coming up with a plan to defeat the Sand, no matter how much he hated doing it. He hated war, and everyone knew it, but he was a very skilled fighter, taught by an old pervert called Jiraiya who was taught by Sarutobi himself. He was given the nickname _Konoha's Yellow Flash _or just_ Yellow Flash_ because of his speed and swiftness. He later met Uzumaki Kushina who became his lover.

Uzumaki Kushina was Naruto's mother and was known for her hot temper and tom boy attitude in her early days but her beauty was what made everyone stop and stare when she walked down the streets. She was a very sweet motherly figure as well, although Naruto couldn't remember her too well.

_Actually, come to think of it._

Naruto stopped walking.

_I don't remember my parents at all…_

Naruto continued walking. A deep and tired sign escaped from his tight lips that were trying to slacken off the stress. He continued walking until he reached the small playground in the school yard. He stared at the lone swing before deciding to sit on it.

_I should be in class… Oh well, not like they _want_ me back in there._

He kicked his feet from the ground and felt himself swing a little. He continued this little movement before becoming tired of it. He signed again and let his eyes close into a deep silence – that was broken by a pair of footsteps. Naruto snapped open his eyes and stared back at dark onyx, his blue eyes instantly narrowing.

"What do you want?" Naruto demanded – he was _not _the mood for this.

The older boy only stared back before shrugging and made himself comfortable by the tree that over shaded the swing.

They sat in a few minutes of silence before the boy replied.

"I was worried," he muttered inaudibly, so quietly that Naruto nearly didn't catch it.

Naruto could only stare back. "Sasuke…"

A light comforting breeze swept over them.

Sasuke stood over Naruto with an outstretched hand.

A light smile lifted Naruto's face.

"Thanks."

--

Hairs stood on his neck as he felt the gaze of everyone. His eyes nearly met their piercing and wary gazes as he looked around nervously and landed on a particular spot. He shuffled uneasily to a seat at the very back of the room where no one sat because it was the _'reject table'_.

"Oi."

Naruto stopped in his tracks and a small smile started rising its way onto his face – _So he still cares…_

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered. "You're not sitting by yourself. Sit next to me." Sasuke turned away after patting at the seat next to him. He knew that his best friend was going to be hated now by all the fan girls. He sent them his best glare as they shuffled away.

Naruto moved awkwardly to the spot Sasuke had indicated for him to sit. He hovered over the seat hesitating.

"Just sit there," Sasuke growled in annoyance, but was reassuring him all the same.

Naruto nodded thanks meekly and sat himself comfortable, trying his best to ignore the new type of gazes he was getting.

Sasuke noticed this and said, loud enough for everyone the class to hear, "Got a problem with my best friend? Say it out loud if you dare."

No one dared to.

They all looked away in shame and defeat and pretended that nothing ever happened, but fan girls of Sasuke would glance at Naruto with newly found jealousy every so often.

"Thanks," Naruto muttered, quiet enough for his best friend to hear. They had both become accustomed to each other's speech.

Sasuke nodded absently, even though he was paying him full attention. He cared for his best friend deeply and wished that people wouldn't think so badly of him. From the age of 10 to now, in high school, he had always looked out for Naruto. Sasuke was one of the most popular guys in the high school – even though it was still his first day - and tried his best to protect him. He found that with this role, he can change the way people look at Naruto and make them like him.

If he had the social skills to do that… Too bad he doesn't.

The first half of the first day of high school went by pretty slowly for the duo; escaping Sasuke fan girls was a hassle that took forever to escape from, and the glares that were sent to Naruto, only to be outmatched by Sasuke's, wasn't making it any easier.

"Otouto; Naruto-kun," an older boy nodded his head in greeting.

Naruto and Sasuke both looked up from their lunch to look at the boy over looming them. Sasuke's eyes instantly narrowed.

"What do you want, aniki?" he hissed coldly.

"That's not how you should treat your onii-san," another boy grinned beside Itachi. Kisame looked at Naruto. "Yo!" he grinned.

Naruto shuffled uneasily but replied to the greeting weakly all the same.

_What do they want from me?_

"Naruto-kun," Itachi addressed Naruto separately now, as if his younger brother wasn't there (which angered him). "We would like a word with you," he stated calmly.

Naruto stared at Itachi with a wary look. "Um," he started.

"Aniki," Sasuke growled.

Itachi ignored his little brother and continued to wait for Naruto's answer. He turned and started to walk away. "It's okay; we can talk to you tomorrow, because otouto is being selfish," Itachi said, only loud enough for the younger boys to hear. "I look forward to talking to you, Naruto-kun."

Kisame waved good bye, grinning, before catching up to the fading Uchiha. "Oi, oi, Itachi, do you really think…"

His voice drifted off as they disappeared from sight, leaving the two boys staring at their absence.

Sasuke was the first to break their hold. He glanced at Naruto. "Oi, don't worry." He looked away from Naruto. "If 'nii-san does anything to you, I'll kill him for sure."

Naruto pulled a forced grin from the ground. "Arigatou, Sasuke."

"Hm."

--

It was a normal day like any other; with high school kids rushing to school, and old perverts trailing behind, but it wasn't normal for a certain blonde.

The blonde had been hopping on his foot – occasionally changing feet – outside the school gates for a long time, since he had arrived. He was sweating nervously as he waited for a pair to show up at school. Other high school kids stared at him as they walked passed the hopping and nervous blonde. He was earlier than Sasuke – which was very hard to come by – whom stared at him with concern but walked passed him, saying that he would see him at class, before giving him another concerned glance.

The bell went off, signalling that school has started.

The blonde cursed under his breath and decided to continue to stay there until the certain pair showed up-

"What are you doing; you're going to be late for class."

The quiet but firm voice shocked Naruto as he whirled around to come face to face with a pair of dark onyx eyes.

"I-Itachi-sempai!" Naruto cried in surprise.

"Oi, oi, what about me?" Kisame grumbled from next to Itachi.

"A-ah, Kisame-sempai!" Naruto cried once again in surprise.

Kisame laughed, which surprised Naruto, but what surprised him even more was when he thought he had saw a glitter of amusement in Itachi's eyes. "W-what?" he asked, his mouth twitching at the corners.

"I think that what Kisame is laughing about," Itachi replied slowly but surely, "is the fact that you are addressing us as your sempai-tachis."

This statement caused Kisame to go into an uproar again to prove Itachi's guess right.

"E-eh?" Naruto grunted in confusion. Weren't these guys supposed to be scary?

Kisame tried to stop laughing, only to burst into even loader uproar.

Guess not.

"Naruto-kun," Itachi said firmly. He fixed his eyes onto Naruto's. Taking this hint from Itachi that if he didn't stop laughing, then he would most certainly die a very, _very _slow and painful death, Kisame stopped laughing.

"We need to talk to you," Kisame grinned devilishly.

--

The dark-haired grumbled in his seat and slouched down even further into it. It wasn't comfortable, but it was better than nothing; better than listening to his teacher rant on and on or concentrate on the fan girls that were staring at him with passion and the emotion they call love.

The boy grunted.

_Love; who needs it?_

Friend and sibling love was… okay for him – not because it was different – but also because the boy whom they shared their brotherly love between taught him about this new emotion to him.

_Which reminds me…_

_Where is Naruto?!_

Sasuke huffed and once again scanned the room from the back, but not near the 'reject table', ignoring the stares that were directed at him and him only. He didn't see anything; just the teacher ranting on and on, a few boys he knew mucking around, sleeping, eating or paying attention (this caused him to raise his eyebrow), hopeful fan girls hoping that he would look their way (which of course happened otherwise how else was he to scan the room when they were everywhere?), and… no Naruto.

Sasuke frowned. It wasn't like Naruto to skip class or anything, no matter how boring it was, without a good reason. He gritted his teeth. A bad feeling had stirred in his stomach the moment he left Naruto waiting at the gates of the school and only now did he choose to think about it. Something wasn't right, and he knew it, and it also had something to do with Naruto.

_Naruto, you dobe… what have you gotten yourself into?_

--

"And so if x equals y then…"

_Swooshh!_

"Naruto!"

"… Yo," Naruto bluntly replied to Sasuke, who had jumped out of his chair at the sight of him. Sasuke couldn't show or say anything to show the relief, concern, anger, and other emotions he was feeling. It was the third day that Naruto had missed school and had worried him that very deeply. As soon as he was about to say something, the maths teacher interjected him.

"Where were you, young man?" she scowled. "And disrupting my class when it's 5th period and nearly lunch! I need to have a word with your parents – having and raising such a disrespectful child!"

A hint a of sadness reflected on Naruto's eyes, and for a moment, Sasuke thought that Naruto was going to run away, but he was in shock at what happened next.

"Don't talk about my parents when you don't know a damn thing about them, bitch," Naruto quietly spat with such venom and coldness that spellbound anyone who heard the slightest tone in his quiet voice.

Sasuke stared helplessly at Naruto, his fists shaking and his breathing jagged.

_Wha-… What happened Naruto?_

The teacher quickly recovered from her spellbound daze and managed to squeak out, "P-Pardon m-me-me!"

Naruto shrugged. "Woops, sorry; word slipped. Won't happen again," he muttered under his breath but still loud enough for some people to hear including the teacher. He trudged towards the back of the class, where he and Sasuke sat side by side. He had hoped to rest his head on the desk in peace, only to be nudged by his best friend.

"Oi!" Sasuke hissed from the corner of his mouth that many fan girls found intoxicating and sexy.

"What?" Naruto snapped back. He wasn't in the mood for him right now – no, screw that – he wasn't in the mood for anyone.

Sasuke decided that he valued his life, so he chose something else to talk about. "Where were you?"

"With your loving 'nii-san and Kisame-sempai – why?" Naruto asked, choosing to ignore the stupefied and surprised look on the dark-haired boy's face. There was a moment silence and Naruto decided that he had enough. "That face looks stupid, teme."

Sasuke bit his tongue from biting back an insult. "Why were you with them?" he hissed angrily, but concerned nevertheless.

"That's none of your business," Naruto glared at Sasuke. "What I get up to has nothing to do with you, nor will it ever." And with that, Naruto rested his head on the desk and did so in such manner than said that he was not speaking to him anymore.

Those words stung Sasuke more than he thought. To hear them from his best friend, no, _brother_ was just… _heartbreaking_… He felt as though the space in his heart where he left for Naruto was ripped form him by a sharp demonic claw whose owner was laughing at his face. It felt so real that he had to make sure that he was still in one piece and living and breathing.

He signed in relief. He paused to look at Naruto and debated whether or not he could risk himself one more question. He chose the first. "Just tell me one more thing," Sasuke pleaded.

Naruto grunted.

Sasuke nearly smiled. _Nearly._ It was good to know that he wasn't completely ignoring him. His face suddenly turned serious. "Did you join _Akatsuki_?"

Naruto didn't say anything for awhile and Sasuke signed in defeat and turned back to the teacher who was already teaching stuff he knew.

And then it came like the dancing leaves in the light autumn breeze when the tree drifts off to let nature take its toll and let it shine with dull colours of hope and new life.

"Yes."

**So, how was it? Wow, this took weeks and I could have gone on but I like the ending - don't you?**

**I intend to continue this so be on the look out for more - although the chapters might be updates very slowly like my other fanfics, but don't worry, I won't forget it.**

**If you have any comments, ideas, flames, or any of the kind, don't hesitate. I will try to reply to everyone the best I can and don't worry, I will come about to you if I have seemed to have forgotten to reply to you.**

**And if someone could explain to me when Sasuke calls Itachi 'Aniki' and ''Nii-san', that would be great, because I still don't get it and I hope I got it right.**

**Until next time!**

**xKairix**


	2. Seeing the Same Eyes for the First Time

**Yes! The Chapter 2 of Black Sky and 1 step closer to Red Clouds which is the sequel. See? I've planned that far XD.**

**Hope I didn't describe any of the Akatsuki wrong or make them out of character. I'm only up to Chapter... er... Volume 41 or something or other.**

**DISCLAIMER: xKairix does not own _Naruto_ or any of the characters. This is merely a fanfiction that xKairix made up. However, she does own the plot and would appreciate it if it was not copied for any other stories or creations unless given permission by xKairix. Thank you!**

**Enjoy!**

**

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**

**Black Sky**

Chapter 2: Seeing The Same Eyes For The First Time.

_He couldn't bring himself to rip his eyes away from the eerie and suffered boy like him staring out the window and into the heavy rain._

He flopped down onto the couch with an exaggerated tired sigh. He covered his eyes with his hand and the other hang limply down the couch, his legs starting to kick his sneakers off. He heard the thumping noises the sneakers made when they were off his feet and dropped onto the ground and stopped moving all together. The day's events ran through his head.

He had successfully avoided Sasuke and everyone else, not that there was anyone else, the whole day and managed to not run into any members of _Akatsuki_ after 4th period – not that he knew any of them apart from Itachi and Kisame. He didn't even know if any of the other _Akatsuki _members were at Konoha! You could just tell if they were from _Akatsuki _because of the rings they wore on a single finger or thumb with a kanji written on them. They could also wear black cloaks with red clouds imprinted but they weren't allowed at school now were they? Strict uniform policy, you see.

He ate lunch by himself where no one could see him and arrived to class as late as possible to avoid any one he didn't want to see before class started, and to also avoid Sasuke trying to sit next to him – there was always one empty desk at the back where no one sat because it was the 'reject table'. He had tuned out of the last few classes of the day he attended and earned detention, which helped his plan of avoiding Sasuke and _Akatsuki_. So he had successfully avoided them as well, only to find that Kisame had earned detention and was joining him in the detention room after school. Kisame had tried talking to him but Naruto ignored him. Kisame eventually gave up – partly because the teacher in charge told him off and threatened him that if he didn't shut up then he would earn another detention for a week, which shut him up pretty quickly. When they were finished, Naruto had rushed out of the room and ran the way back to his apartment.

Naruto sighed and ruffled his hair half asleep. He yawned without manners and pouted madly. He didn't feel like doing anything tonight so he was pretty happy he didn't have anything planned.

The end of his lips tugged into a small smile as he slowly drifted off into sleep.

_Ring! Ring!_

Naruto's eyes snapped open with a glare and he trudged sourly to the noisy device hanging crookedly on the wall. He picked the receiver up; he swore that he would kill who ever had called him-

"Konichiwa Naruto-kun."

The familiar voice came smoothly without hesitation and Naruto instantly froze; it was Itachi!

"Ah. Konichiwa Itachi-senpai," Naruto mumbled into the receiver without much warmth – his voice sounded as if he was suppressing his anger and was very disappointed.

Okay, he was not going to try and kill Itachi; he would probably kill him first anyway without much effort – Naruto shivered.

He heard far off laughter on the other side of the phone and knew that it was not Itachi because he didn't laugh – right?

"Ah. Konichiwa Kisame-senpai," Naruto mumbled greeting again. He heard the far off laughter increase and cringed.

"Gomen, Naruto-kun, for Kisame's… behaviour," Itachi apologized on the other side. He paused.

"What do you want?" Naruto grumbled. He had the urged to tap his foot – if he wasn't so lazy, that is.

"Straight to the point, I see," he heard the voice mutter under his breath, which slightly ticked him off – if he wanted to say something why not in his face?

"Because you are a new member of _Akatsuki_, we are going to hold a little… celebration, if you may, for you. It's at my house and all the members are coming so dress nicely, but not too nicely," Itachi calmly informed Naruto. "You may arrive anytime, Naruto-kun."

And by that, he meant 'Come when you please but soon or else...'

Naruto grunted. "Okay."

Itachi paused but not because of hesitance; he always seemed to pause before he spoke, didn't he? He was very good at choosing words in a quick amount of time.

"Ja, Naruto-kun." A slight pause. "And please don't copy my foolish little otouto's grunts, they get on my nerve."

And with that, he hung up, leaving a rejected blonde who was twisting his mouth in irritation.

He slammed the receiver onto its holder – which slanted crooked even more from the force – and stormed into his room.

It was a fairly large room for a teenaged boy like himself – since he had the whole apartment room to himself – and he didn't take the time to admire the mass of mountains on the floor as he trudged on forward. He kicked a _Dominos_ pizza box out of his way and he swung the wardrobe open with a little too much force as it groaned and nearly broke.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath, but continued to raid his wardrobe with such "pleasant" waves rolling off of him all the same. He grumbled and cursed under his breath as he tried to decide what to wear – _"… dress nicely but not too nicely",_ Itachi's words rang inside his head.

In the end, he came out of the bathroom suite wearing a black button up shirt – which he left the top few buttons undone to reveal his tan chest, leaving the collar to fan widely on his broad shoulders – and a pair of slightly faded black shorts sitting on his hips very loosely. He was still drying his blonde hair with a white towel as he came out, which he threw onto the bed without a second glance when he was done, and was starting to regret not buying new deodorant when it was nearly finished; he thought he could go for the whole week without buying new deodorant, which didn't go very far as some crazy boys sprayed the boys changing rooms with it today - and you can guess the rest… Yelps and screams, walking away blonde, and bruised and battered boys lying on the floor? Yep, you're on the right track.

Naruto sighed. "Oh well, it's not like I really need it now," he reasoned to himself bitterly.

He continued to get ready and slipped on his worn sneakers before stepping out and locking the door. He jogged his way down the stairs – he really didn't like the looks people would give him in the elevator – and walked out of the apartment quickly with his head down, avoiding eye contact.

He wondered why he was even going to Itachi's – which was also Sasuke's; one reason why he didn't want to go – house. Actually, screw that, Naruto thought as he arrived at the doorstep of the Uchiha household once again. Try mansion.

The mansion was _huge_! The gardens were well kept; the well oiled gates were well in tact; and the massive mansion behind all that over loomed it and made it seem like a castle of royals. Royals sleeping for eternity, to be more precise.

The Uchiha clan was massacred when Sasuke was seven years old at a family reunion reuniting Uchiha's from all over the world. It was held in the Uchiha household garden with finely created decorations and finely trimmed hedges of worth knowing Uchiha's in the past and present; Itachi was one of them.

He was a prized possession among the Uchiha clan, renowned for his academic, sporting, and much more achievements which led many Uchiha's and other clans to be jealous. His father regarded him highly which led to a rejected Sasuke who tried his best to become acknowledged by his father – only when he was, his father still compared him to his older brother and warned him to stay away from him as he was acting weird.

However, Sasuke didn't listen to his father; he admired his older brother far too much and loved him more than he ever could but his trust was betrayed on that very fateful night.

When the massacre started by the unknown killer, the night went into panic. The Uchiha's who worked in the police force regretted for not bringing their weapons to dispose of the killer and they too also went into panic, something they were taught not to when they were in training. Uchiha Fugaku, the head of the clan, captain and head of the Konoha Police Force, and father of Itachi and Sasuke at the time, tried to get everything back under control, only to lose it completely as he was soon killed after the first poor victim. More screams were cried as their head of the clan fell dead, his head chopped off and lying in a pool of dark red liquid that they all shared genetically.

"F-Fugaku!" Uchiha Mikoto had cried for her dead beloved. "I-I… Y-yo-u... Ai-Aishiteru…! Aishiteru, Fukagu!"

Her pained and heart broken cries filled the dark night as the emotion in her howl rang inside everyone's ears. More cries and howls just like hers soon followed after her death.

"'Kaa-san!" Sasuke had cried to his lost mother. "Okaa-san! Wake up!" As he cried to his lost mother, he felt someone behind him. He whirled around, too late to scream.

The dark figure had quickly scooped up Sasuke and muffled his mouth with his strong hands to prevent Sasuke from giving out their location. He carried the squirming boy to a dark room in the mansion where he bent down and placed the boy down.

Tears flown out of Sasuke's eyes – _I'm going to die!_

"Otouto."

Sasuke knew that voice anywhere and instantly knew he was safe with his older brother, Itachi.

"Aniki!"

With a hush, Itachi had told Sasuke to stay put and don't follow him, which was protested to and disobeyed after he had left. But as Sasuke walked out, he saw something he never would imagine he would see; Itachi killing a fellow Uchiha.

Since then, Sasuke had always believed that it was Itachi who organized the massacre of the clan and never placed his trust in him again – although he never reported Itachi of murder as he always found that he couldn't and, no matter how much he didn't want to believe it, he still loved his brother and was afraid of being alone.

_Being alone isn't so… scary…_

Naruto looked down at the ground.

"Oi, what are you- Huh? Oi, oi, Itachi! It's Naruto, un!"

Naruto's head snapped up, meeting a face that disturbed him quite a bit.

It was a blonde, like him, although his hair was much longer and much like a girl's with long strands of hair covering his left eye which seemed to have a metal frame around it. A big grin was plastered on his face and his blue eyes returned back to look at Naruto. But what disturbed Naruto the most was that this girl-look-alike guy was wearing an _Akatsuki_ cloak.

_Shit._

"Come on, un! Everyone's waiting!" He grabbed Naruto's arm and started to drag him into the mansion without taking his shoes off at the door and not letting Naruto either.

"Shouldn't we-…?" Naruto looked back at the door nervously and wondered if Itachi was going to kill him for not knocking the door and taking his shoes off.

The blonde dragging him grunted. "He won't mind, un." He grinned.

Naruto nodded hesitantly before feeling something slimy on his arm. He pulled it back and jumped away immediately and stared at the blonde with narrowed eyes, who sighed when he realised what had happened.

"Don't worry." The blonde showed Naruto his left palm which had a mouth of some sort. "It won't bite you, just yet." He grinned devilishly, and Naruto shuddered inwardly, wondering if he was really going to survive.

"Oh yes," the blonde grinned, "I should probably show you my other hand, un." He held up his hand.

Naruto's face slightly paled as he saw another mutant mouth on the blonde's palm. He wanted to ask 'What the hell is that?' but thought better of it.

He shrugged.

The older blonde started walking away. "Yo, Itachi!" he called once again. He came across a door and swiped it open with a swift motion of his arm and yelled into the room before walking in. "Minna! Naruto's here, un!"

Naruto stood where he was, not moving as he examined the situation. He could go ahead and walk into the room or run away like his life was on the line.

The irony.

Naruto was about to go with the latter, until hearing a cool, quiet voice from the room he feared.

"Come in, Uzumaki Naruto."

_Shit. I have no choice but to go in._

Naruto started walking towards the open door, his feet dragging behind him. It seemed like forever, the way he heard muted voices in the other room and the way Itachi's words rang in his ears. He took in a deep breath.

_One… Two… Three…_

He turned to face the open door and was shocked at what he saw.

There, in the large luxurious room of one of the many Uchiha households, sat all nine members of _Akatsuki, _poised in absolute elegance like carved angels with the authority in the air around them_._

A small drop of sweat ran down Naruto's pale face. The next second, he felt as if he was being crushed by a heavy weight.

Literally.

"Ah! Naruto-kun! You come to see us after all! Tobi told you so, Deidara-senpai!"

The owner of the cheery childish voice only got a 'Un' as a reply from the blonde from before, Naruto noted.

"Tobi," a deep and firm voice full of command warned.

"Hm?" The boy who was known as 'Tobi' looked at the pale blonde in his arms before realization dawned him. "Oh!"

Naruto had never felt happier as the crushing weight disappeared. He sat up and starting rubbing his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He tried to collect himself mentally as he closed his eyes in concentration, wishing that this 'Tobi' person would die of cheeriness.

No such luck.

"I'm so sorry, Naruto-kun! I didn't mean to hurt you! I was just so glad to see you and I couldn't help myself!"

The apologies didn't stop there.

Naruto groaned inwardly. He felt like lashing out profanities at the cheery boy.

A loud thump was heard.

"Oi, Tobi you asshole! Shut up! You're just as annoying when you're apologizing than when you're not!"

_I must thank him later. At least someone here has normal human intolerance._

"Aw, Deidara-senpai!"

'_Deidara-senpai'?_

Naruto snapped open his eyes and saw a boy with an orange swirly mask covering his face – who he assumed as 'Tobi' – getting strangled by 'Deidara-senpai' – who Naruto soon realized as the blonde with freakish mouths on his hands from before.

_No, I take that back; Deidara-senpai is _far_ beyond from normal._

A familiar chuckle. "There they go again."

Naruto whirled his head around to the right. "Ah! Kisame-senpai!"

_Shit, that's-_

Too late.

The blue shark/human was already laughing his ass off as he heard his name and the honorific following it. "Haha! Geez, Naruto! It's-…"

He never got to finish the sentence.

Naruto mumbled under his breath, something about blue coloured people looking like sharks.

"Naruto-kun."

The voice nearly made Naruto jump out of his skin. He closed his eyes and pinched his nose to calm himself.

_One… Two… Three…_

"Hai, Itachi-senpai?"

A pause. "For future reference, and," – Itachi glanced at the laughing Kisame – "for our sakes, please do not call us your senpai-tachi; rather, just add a different honorific or none at all."

"Ah, hai, Itachi-se-san," Naruto quickly corrected himself.

"I hope that you will use this time wisely to get to know the other members of _Akatsuki,_ but if you ever get bored of us you may go see otouto." Something in Itachi's voice made Naruto feel as if he shouldn't do the latter, but he really couldn't tell since Itachi never showed much emotion in his voice – or none at all.

"Ah, hai. Thanks," Naruto mumbled.

"Ah! I never got to introduce myself!"

Naruto looked up to the cheery boy from before. Now that he got to be able to get a close look at him, the boy seemed weird… A cheery aura surrounded him yet Naruto had learnt to be able to pick up people's true personality and found that he slightly felt another life crushing aura.

He had used the skill many times to save himself when he was young as many of the villagers wanted to kill him and often fake acted, pretending they would take him in and care and love for him.

They would always abuse him if he never got the chance to run away.

"I'm Tobi!"

The cheery voice was said with a smile, but – Naruto realised – the boy was wearing a mask so he couldn't tell.

_Reminds me of Kakashi-sensei…_

But unlike Kakashi-sensei, the mask covered the whole face. It was a fascinating mask, shaped circular with swirl imprints drawing together to a small hole on the right side which – Naruto assumed – was used to look out with the right eye.

Naruto knew it would lower the poor boy's ability to judge things through sight; why couldn't he just make two holes, one for each eye?

A flower pot was thrown from the back of Tobi's head with great accuracy, but the masked boy ducked quickly at the last second.

Naruto narrowly avoided the incoming chomping Venus flytrap.

"Hidan…"

"Dude, not my fault. Tobi was pissing me off," a white-haired boy snapped back.

Naruto studied the boy.

He was a well-built boy, and liked to show by leaving the top few buttons on his _Akatuski_ cloak undone. His white silver, ash-like hair was well combed back while still retaining the 'bad boy' look. His eyes held a slight glare to them and a slight frown was slightly visible and etched onto his well-defined face.

"Tch. You guys are too loud, you're all pissing me off," he growled.

"Hidan…"

"Why are we here in the first place? I mean, yeah, so what, we got a new member."

"Hidan…!"

"But I mean, that's nothing important. Come'on, can't we just go home now?"

"Hidan!..."

"Not that it applies to Itachi 'cause he's _already_ home. Why couldn't we have held it at my place so I wouldn't have to come all the way here? You know I live at the other side of Konoha."

"Hidan!"

"Shut the hell up, dude. I'm talking here!"

"You wasted precious money…"

"Yeah? So what, Kakuzu?"

"That species of Venus flytrap was very expensive and hard to find."

"I don't give a shit about how rare and expensive that piece of shit was. Like I care."

"If it weren't for you and your ability to stay alive, you would have been dead long ago."

"Really now? I would like to see you try."

Naruto felt a drop of sweat roll down his cheek; two _Akatsuki_ members were about to fight.

_This isn't good…_

"Kakuzu. Hidan."

Naruto felt his body go numb like as if a bucket of icy cold water filled to the top with ice blocks was dumped onto him. He brought himself reluctantly to look at the owner of the voice.

The boy was sitting calmly and coolly on the sofa with full authority at his fingertips. He had his elbow propped onto his knee and was leaning against his hand, sitting with elegance of an angel yet menace of a devil. If anyone saw him, they would be fascinated by his fiery hair and the amount of piercings on his face: six piercings and a metal bar pierce through each ear; 3 piercings through the side of his upper nose on both sides; and one spike stud on the end of his bottom lip. But the thing that drew people's attention the most of all were his eyes: characterized by a number of concentric ripple-like circles around the pupil of his eyes and as intimidating and unforgiving as a Shinigami, a Death God.

"Gomen, Leader-sama." Kakuzu bowed with a slight edge of fear, whereas Hidan just grunted.

Grunt.

"Show Uzumaki your powers another time," the feiry-haired boy said calmly but firmly. "And refrain from destroying Itachi's house."

"Hai."

Grunt.

Naruto let a shaky breath but then sucked it back in as those unforgiving eyes turned on him.

He forgot who he was - _...who am I?_ - and couldn't tell what he was anymore. He felt as if his soul was ripped out and put into a glass show case for everyone in the world to see. His body meant nothing as only his soul was left behind to whimper and tremble in the wind. He forgot about everyone around him and could only bring himself to think that those eyes were the only thing left in the world other than him. They were shut in a world of void with nothing but nothing. He was exposed to the eyes but they weren't exposed to him. But yet as he continued to stare at them, he could see...

... that they were like his, glaring as response to curious looks and keeping to thyself and hiding the pain thyself had.

He gasped for air.

The eyes were no longer staring at him but looking through the window to watch the mysterious rain start to pour from nowhere, back to showing nothing.

A low whistle from behind.

"Wow, he got you too, didn't he?" Naruto heard Deidara mutter.

"Don't worry, Naruto-kun! Its the same for everyone! When they first look at you, you always feel that. Freaky, ne?" he heard Tobi say cheerfully.

"Tobi," Itachi'd said.

"Don't worry, Naruto. You'll get use to them, and we won't see much of him anyway since he's always out doing... uh, stuff," he heard Kisame finish lamely yet nervously.

"Kisame," he heard the Kakuzu guy from before warn quietly.

"Sorry..." he caught Kisame muttering quietly. "But, yeah, don't worry about it, Naruto. Now, I'm hungry. Itachi, you have any food?"

Foot steps and hesistant loud pats on his back that would've made him gasp for air...

... but he didn't.

He couldn't bring himself to rip his eyes away from the eerie and suffered boy like him staring out the window and into the heavy rain.

* * *

**So how was it? Please review. ^^**

**The next chpater might also take a long time but I won't give up on the story so don't think that for a second.**

**But until next time!**

**xKairix**


	3. The Hour Glass Has Turned

**Sorry for the long update! I had this sitting half done and never really got time to writing it. But then I got the motivation to write it again so here it is!**

**This chapter has the Akatsuki in so sorry if any are out of character!**

**Enjoy!  
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* * *

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**Black Sky**

Chapter 3: The Hour Glass Has Turned.

_Like an hour glass, his life had turned completely upside down like the parallel universe that started his life with a different 'Once upon a time'..._

"What the hell is…?"

Everyone paused their celebration for a second as they looked at the new comer: Sasuke.

"Otouto."

"What the hell is going on? I told you not to invite them" – Sasuke pointed rudely at the other members of _Akatsuki_ – "here anymore."

"I didn't invite them…"

"Then why are they here?"

"They let themselves in…"

Sasuke glared at his older brother with his usual scowl on his face.

"What's the matter, Sasuke? I didn't do anything."

Sasuke scowled and turned on his hot heels and stormed out the room, slamming the traditional paper Japanese door behind him.

Naruto had kept still and quiet during the whole thing, his awkwardness showing through more when he kept silent while the other members of the _Akatsuki_ continued celebrating.

The other members had noticed his silence.

"Don't worry about that, Naruto-kun!…"

"Happens all the time…"

"Eh. You get used to it, un…"

But their little half-hearted encouragements did not help at all: he needed to hear it from the brothers.

"Sasuke doesn't like having the _Akatsuki_ here."

"Huh?" Naruto looked up, surprised at seeing the elder Uchiha brother next to him.

"He thinks they are a bad influence," Itachi continued without looking at Naruto, his red eyes reflecting how tired he was – Naruto often wondered how Itachi got his red eyes. People called them the Sharingan but Naruto didn't know why.

"And many other things. But a 'bad influence'…" Itachi stopped talking for a few seconds. "I can't help but wonder if he is worried they are a bad influence on me…"

And he stopped talking.

Naruto, realising this, sighed and nodded thanks, sure that Itachi had seen it even though he was looking elsewhere. He slowly rose up and silently snuck out from the room, shutting the door with a very faint _click_.

"Eh?! Deidara-senpai!"

"What is it Tobi?" Deidara growled. "I swear, if it's a 'flying Pein-sama!' or a 'normal skin coloured Kisame-san!' or, or some other shit – "

"Where's Naruto?" Tobi asked with childish innocence yet a parent's worry.

Deidara didn't know what to say. "I… don't know, un…"

"You let him go, just like that."

Itachi nodded to the man next to him. "Hai, Pein-sama."

---

"Oi, teme…"

"Dobe."

Naruto frowned. He had tried to quickly follow the Uchiha after he exited the room but he soon got lost – as _very _easy as that may be – but eventually found him sitting on the veranda, his lanky figure clad in black with the Uchiha fan emblem on the back of his wide collar shirt. He too, like the elder Uchiha, looked tired, Naruto noted.

He decided to wait until Sasuke was ready to talk and so sat down next to Sasuke, legs dangling over the edge like a little kid's and weight shifted onto his palms faced down on the floor behind him with a peaceful look on his face as he watched the koi fish in the pond swim around gracefully.

He heard a grunt.

"What do you what?"

He didn't answer but continued to stare into the pond. The raven-haired boy next to him decided to do the same.

"Hn. You know…"

Naruto sharply glanced at the boy with a curious look as the tone held such… such compassion… warmth… a _longing_.

"When I was young, I often came out here… to the pond. It was my favourite spot, and no one came this way often so it was peaceful; I could have privacy and not get smothered by people – mostly fan girls." Sasuke couldn't help but let a little chuckle escape from his thin lips.

"One day, Father had really upset me that I was crying. I ran here as fast as I could and cried for a long time. I could hear people searching for me, calling my name. But I never moved once.

"When I woke up, it was around midnight and Mother was sitting with my head in her lap just combing her special hair comb through my hair with this peaceful face. I don't know how long she was there… but I could tell she had been there for a long time. So she just sat there while I cried.

"I fell asleep again, but I couldn't remember anything before that. When I woke up again, it was morning. Mother was still there. I was about to ask her why was she still there but she held her finger up to her lips and smiled. And quietly walked away.

"We never talked about it; she acted as if she was never there and knew nothing about my secret spot. But I know she was there. I saw her hair comb next to my head on the same veranda. She never asked for it back, so I guess it was mine to keep and protect."

Naruto, who was silent during the whole thing, snuck a little glance at Sasuke but returned his gaze at the pond. "Where is it now?"

Sasuke's face slightly saddened but he his tone was kept firm. "It was lost in the massacre. I had it sitting on my desk in my room. Then Aniki came in before the party started and was near my desk. After I ran back to get the comb after the massacre finished, I couldn't find it." Accusation was clearly in his voice.

"You think Itachi-san took it," Naruto said slowly, turning to face Sasuke.

"What other conclusion is there?" Sasuke demanded, eyebrows furrowing into a deadly glare.

Naruto turned away from Sasuke and resumed looking into the pond. "Hmm…" Then he was silent and lost in thought.

The two best friends sat there in long silence contemplating different things in their heads.

Naruto's head slightly snapped up but the movement caught Sasuke's attention.

"What?"

"What if your mother took it?"

Sasuke blinked at Naruto and stared at him as if he had grown three heads.

"What if your mother took the comb?"

"You're not making any sense, dobe," Sasuke pointed out, hating to admit he was lost. His mother was dead, for God's sake. He thought that was already clear in the idiot's head so why the hell would he ask if his mother took it when she was obviously dead.

"Your mother. What if on the day of the massacre, before she died, she had somehow moved the comb?"

Sasuke thought over this, letting the reality of it sink in. "Why would she?"

"Hmm…" Naruto hummed. "I had thought of that. But I think she wanted to make sure no one would steal it and it only ended up in _your_ care."

Sasuke had to admit, it did make sense… kind of. "But where would she put it? She could've put it anywhere."

Naruto didn't reply. Instead, he stood up and walked over to the pond. He continued to stare into it.

Sasuke's eyebrows lowered – weren't they thinking of where his mother could've put the comb? "You know, dobe, you can look at the pond from over here unless your eyesight is really that bad," he said sarcastically.

No answer.

"Dobe?"

No answer again.

"Oi… Naruto."

"Sasuke, come here."

As much as he wanted to protest, Sasuke couldn't help but obey as Naruto sounded like-

"Shit… You found it, dobe…"

"Yeah I did, didn't I, teme?"

Sasuke bent down towards the rocks piled up in a mountain at one side of the pond. He stretched his hand out towards underneath two rocks and began to carefully remove something gold.

With a few careful and strong but gentle jerks, he managed to get it out unharmed.

"Beautiful…" he heard Naruto whisper from beside.

"Yeah," Sasuke muttered softly, memories coming back to him in a flood that overwhelmed him. He felt tears brimming on his eyes but he forced himself to keep them in. "Thanks, Naruto."

"Hn. No problem Sasuke, but you're still a- Are you about to cry?" Naruto asked incredulously.

Sasuke turned around and started to walk back to the room where the _Akatsuki _were celebrating.

"Don't be stupid, dobe."

Naruto frowned. He threw his arms behind his head and hurried after Sasuke. "Hai, hai, Sasuke-teme. I still reckon you were about to cry."

"… Dobe."

---

Glomped the second he stepped through the door, Naruto tried his best not to kill the overly cheery boy.

"You're back! You're back!"

"Get… off me, Tobi-san," he demanded in a strained voice. "Or I will…" He spluttered as his lungs were released and air filled into them once again.

"Ah!" he gasped. He coughed and stumbled forwards – _I swear I _will_ kill him one day._

"Ah! Naruto-kun! Why are you coughing?" _that_ person asked in his oh so cheery voice…

Naruto turned to _that_ person and sent him a death glare. If looks could kill, then Tobi would have a 100% guaranteed death.

"Hweh? Why are you glaring at me, Naruto-kun? Deidara-senpai! Naruto-kun is glaring at me!" Tobi wailed as he threw his hands up and ran in circles until he was behind his loving senpai's back.

"Go away, un," Deidara muttered as he popped yet a_nother_ piece of clay into his hands, the mutated and overly freaky mouths eating them.

Sasuke sent a look of disgust, but then again, who knew with his usual scowl slash frown?

"Disgusting," he muttered.

Deidara's head instantly snapped up.

"What did you say, un?!" he growled. "This ain't disgusting; it's a piece of art!"

Sasori, who was sitting opposite from Deidara, didn't bother to look up as he muttered, "That isn't art."

"Huh?! What did you say, un?!" Deidara's attention whipped over to the red head (who wasn't hiding in his overly large puppet armour – who knew what it was for?).

"I said clay and explosives aren't an art," Sasori muttered again coolly. "Puppets are."

"Puppets?!" Deidara scoffed. "Art is something that disappears quickly, un!"

Sasori continued to stare blankly at his green tea in a cup in his hands as he said, "No. Art is something that lasts a long time. You are mistaken, Deidara."

"No, no, no! Sasori no Danna, _you _are mistaken, un!" Deidara shook his head. "Fine art is the beauty of that single fleeting moment of explosion, un!"

And so, Deidara and Sasori had yet _another_ one of their 'What in the name of art?' arguments.

Everyone ignored them. Or tried to when Deidara's shouts became more louder.

Naruto looked around the room, trying to figure out what each person was like and wondered what he shouldn't do to get on their bad side (for example; tell Deidara that Sasori is correct in their art arguments or ask him whether or not the mouths on his hands were for self pleasure. But you never heard that).

He nearly jumped as he felt a cold aura next to him immediately.

"I-Itachi-senpai!" he breathed. He opened his mouth to correct himself but Sasuke had already started saying something.

"'Senpai'?" Sasuke asked from his right, raising a brow. "They may be our upperclassmen but-…"

Naruto nearly facepalmed (hitting oneself in the forehead with the palm of their hand) himself when he saw Kisame perk up and continue another one of his laughing fits.

"Pffffffft!" he snickered. "'Senpai'! Hah! Brave, kiddo, brave! No one has dared call us their senpai-tachis before! Haha! It makes… me… laugh! Haha!"

The two Uchihas plus retired hyperactive-number-one-loud-mouth turned their backs on him.

"Naruto-kun, I believe you still have yet to meet some of the other members." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Uchiha Itachi never said half questions slash half statements – believe it!

"Hai." Naruto nodded.

He followed Itachi as he started to walk away, Sasuke trailing behind, not wanting to be around his older brother's crazy gang of merry men plus girl who could very well be a non-merry woman (but not exactly everyone in Pein's gang of merry men were exactly 'merry'). Oh well.

And so in the next few minutes, Naruto had met the rest of the _Akatsuki_ meaning the "black-and-white-and-trapped-in-a-large-venus-flytrap-dude-with-major-personality-issues-who-does-all-the-dirty-work-in-_Akatuski_-meaning-removing-slash-disposing-evidence-and-bodies" (known as Zetsu); and the "lone-female-beauty-in-_Akatsuki-_with-weirdly-coloured-hair (but hey! Sakura does too, but you guys aren't supposed to know her just yet…) and-a-none-too-healthy-obsession-with-paper-and-origami-with-no-conversation-skills-unless-talking-to-Pein-cough-her-lover-cough" (otherwise known as Konan).

"_Akatsuki_ sure is full of unique people…" Naruto muttered under his breath as he flopped down onto the cushion on the ground.

"Hn. Thank you, Captain Obvious. You've now been promoted to General," Sasuke said sarcastically, already sitting down to Naruto's right and at the end of the table, far away from _Akatsuki_ as possible.

After Naruto met Zetsu and Konan, they had to move to another room because _apparently_ Deidara had accidentally set off an explosion during one of his 'What is art?' fights with a now ready-to-kill-Deidara Sasori.

Naruto and Sasuke made sure to sit far away as possible from Deidara but luck, unfortunately for them, was not on their side as they got forced to sit in front of the grinning blonde.

The rest of _Akatsuki_ who made it into the room before them sat on the opposite side of the table.

Itachi, for one, had hurried to the room, pretending to show them which room they'll be having their party in, in a cool and collected manner since he is oh so cool.

"Ah! Gomen, gomen, Itachi-san," Deidara apologized half heartedly as he sat down with a _plop!_

"I didn't mean to accidentally set it off. Oh well, at least it was only a C-1." Deidara waved his hand lazily, the tongue in his hand flicking up and down disturbing Naruto and Sasuke.

Sasuke growled. "Only just a C-1? It blew the bloody room up. Aniki" – he turned to his older brother with a glare – "we are _not_ going to pay for the damage."

Itachi, who was silently staring at his green tea, didn't bother to look up as he said in his cold but flat voice, "Deidara, you're paying for the damage."

Deidara's eye bugged out from their sockets. "What?!" he screamed. "I ain't got the money, un! Get Kazu to pay for it since he has tonnes of money!"

"I will not pay for something I did not cause," Kazu said firmly. "And while I have lots of money, it is _not_ for something as little as this."

But everyone knew of the time he bought a thousand dollar collectable and a thought went through their heads at the exact same moment.

_Stingy bastard…_

"But who will?" Sasuke glowered. "I still say Deidara-senpai still pays for it."

"Sorry, I don't have the money, un." Deidara shrugged then pointed at Hidan, next to him, who scowled.

"Eh. It's, uh, against my religion," he said lamely. He pointed to Naruto who was in front of him.

"I don't get my pay check anytime soon," he said coolly.

Eyes shifted to Tobi beside him, hoping that he would be clueless enough to agree that he would pay for the damage to make things easier.

"Money? What's that?"

Everyone felt the urge to facepalm themselves.

Of course… He was too clueless to even know what _money_ was – _He doesn't know what money is?!_ Kakazu thought in extreme shock. He felt like dying. Oh, the Money God has betrayed him and does not want him to live…

Moving on to Zetsu who was next to Tobi…

"_Not only you make me clean up all your shit that you leave behind, but expect me to pay for the damage when I clearly don't get paid?!_" the black side of Zetsu snarled.

Okay… Sasori.

"I spend most of my money on _real art_," he said coolly but mocking Deidara all the same. "Art that doesn't explode and cause problems like these," he said coolly but was clearly accusingly pointing it out into Deidara's face.

"What did you say, un?! Wanna fight?!" Deidara slammed the table and stood up, but got a look from Pein so he sat down obediently.

No one dared to look at Itachi; that guy obviously wasn't going to pay and if asked, it would be instant death.

In front of Itachi was Kisame who shrugged and grinned at the blue haired beauty next to him. "Ladies first."

Konan scoffed and looked like she was about to answer. Everyone leaned forward (or tried not to look interested – cough Itachi, Sasori, Sasuke, and Naruto cough – or just wasn't interested all together – cough Pein who has normal conversations with the girl all the time cough) and some even pulled out voice recorders to remember the day when Konan spoke a normal conversation with _Akatsuki_ minus Pein.

She opened her mouth…

And wrote something on a piece of paper.

_Where the hell did she get that piece of paper?_

Naruto noted to himself: _Konan has a _very_ unhealthy obsession with paper. _Never_ do anything to paper that may offend her._

The note Konan had written in a matter of seconds read:

_This argument is highly unnecessary as Pein can just choose who shall pay for the damage. Itachi may also choose as this is his property. Young Sasuke might be too young and inexperienced. _(This earned an eyebrow twitched from the said raven-haired boy).

_But since everyone is looking at me expectantly, then I shall say that I will not pay for the damage but rather ask Pein for his opinions on this matter regarding who shall pay for the damage Deidara had foolishly caused. However, even though he has escaped paying the damage, he needs a punishment and I recommend…_

No one dared to read the following neatly written eight paragraphs. Not because it was sadistic or anything, but because they couldn't be bothered.

Everyone looked at Pein.

He came to a decision very quickly.

"Itachi-san has kindly accommodated us with his mansion for the years _Akatsuki_ has been together. As thanks to him, we will pay for the damage out of _Akatsuki's_ funding."

Full stop.

No one dared to oppose him, not even Kakazu, seated beside him, who was on the verge of death as he mentally whine over the 'wasted' money and how foolish Deidara was.

There was silence in the house for a good three minutes before Tobi broke it with his childishness.

"Ne, do you have any food, Itachi-san? I'm _hungry!_" he whined.

Some couldn't help but laugh and the night continued.

---

Naruto groaned as light bleared his eyes and his was awoken from the darkness. He scowled at the figure above him.

"Go away, teme."

Sasuke frowned. "Just waking you up," he muttered. He paused. "We have school today."

Silence.

"NANI?!" Naruto screeched, only to have Sasuke's slender hand cover his mouth.

"Shh!" he hissed. "You'll wake the others up! And they're not always the happiest in the mornings."

Naruto let out a muffled 'mph!' before he ripped Sasuke's hand off his mouth and tried to wipe Sasuke's 'germs' off his mouth.

"Bleh! Disgusting!"

Sasuke scowled at Naruto's childish behaviour and went to his closet to get Naruto his spare uniform.

_Akatusuki_ had stayed the night, not because they were drunk or anything (though Tobi's behaviour could very well be mistaken for being drunk), but it was because it was too late to walk home themselves and Itachi wasn't going to drive them home since he's the ever so caring friend. He went for the… rather lazy approach.

"Ahh, it's late. We should get going home," Kisame had stated the night before.

"Wah! Deidara-senpai! You need your beauty sleep!" Tobi'd cried in a hysterical manner.

Deidara growled and told him to shut up. He turned to Sasori.

"Ne, Sasori... We have that science project due tomorrow right?"

He received a nod. "I've already finished it. I have it here with me."

Deidara had shaken his head with a grin. "Man, although we have fights, I'm glad to have you as my friend."

"I can't say likewise. You never do any work and leave it all to me. You're messy when you _do_ work and…" He flatly ranted on a bit and they ended up in a fight.

"We should all go home now and relieve Itachi of the burden of keeping us here any longer," Pein spoke up.

Some shifted awkwardly.

"Uhm, yeah. We should go...uh, home, un..." Deidara muttered, quickly glancing at Naruto to his left.

"Yeah..._home..._totally," Hidan muttered sarcastically but yelped quietly when Kakuzu pricked him with something sharp he was holding onto at the time ("Hey, put that thing down!").

Konan tugged at Pein's sleeve.

"However, I believe that it is too dark to walk home safely," Pein continued. He turned to Itachi and there was something in his eye. "Could you drive us home?"

Sasuke stood still but eager to get them all out of his house. Plus, Itachi would have to drive them _all_ home, or what they would call 'home'. But he didn't know of the unspoken thoughts between the two.

Itachi nodded, understanding his leader. "You can all just stay the night." He received a nod from Pein to say he did the right thing before they both glanced at Naruto.

And so, that was how the _Akatsuki_ stayed the night with a sulking Sasuke and a cheery Itachi as he did not have to drive them all home, though he did not dare let it show.

"Teme!" Sasuke heard a hiss from behind him. He turned around and was met with a scowling Naruto.

"What?" he asked flatly.

"Your pants are too long!" Naruto's brow furrowed as he was deep in concentrating. After all, standing on one leg with the other raised so you could attempt at folding up your long pants was very_, very_ hard.

Sasuke shrugged. "Hn. Too bad. Just means you'll have to drink more milk. Grow up more, midget."

Naruto scowled but said nothing in reply. As he was fiddling with his pants, Sasuke had gone downstairs to fix up some toast to eat for breakfast. There was a long silence in the house.

"… SHIT!" Naruto heard Sasuke yell. He poked his head out the door and yelled down the stairs.

"What is it, teme?"

"We're fucking _late_!"

Naruto knew that Sasuke hardly swore in a full sentence (or in Sasuke's standards, anyway) so he knew that they were really late.

"Shit!" he cursed as he stumbled across the room to get his stuff. He stopped midway – _I don't have my stuff. It's at home._

"Grab my bag! I packed yesterday for the both of us! Just hurry up! I've got your food. I'm leaving without you."

He heard the sound of a door opening and slamming shut. He cursed. That would surely wake the rest of _Akatsuki_ up! And, according to Sasuke, he didn't want to see their morning side…

He grabbed the bag next to the door and grabbed the white blouse with a school emblem on it. He quickly slipped on his lo-top Chuck Taylors and didn't bother with the shoe laces. Rushing down the stairs, and swinging open the door, and making sure it was locked, he had managed to get out in time before the rest of _Akatsuki_ stirred in their sleep from the floor in the living room.

"Huh?" Tobi blinked as he sat up. He looked around at his surroundings and then looked down at the sleeping Deidara beside him. He shook him roughly. "Deidara-senpai! Senpai! I think we're forgetting something! Ne, wake up!"

"Urgh…" Deidara moaned. "What is it, un?" he asked grumpily, still half-asleep.

"Uhm…" Tobi was silent as he tried to think what they had forgotten. "Ah! I know!"

"What? …"

"We're late for school!" replied Tobi is a very cheery voice.

"…"

"…?"

"…!"

"WHAT?!" screamed all the other members of _Akatsuki_ (minus the quiet and non-talkative ones) as Tobi's words awoken them from slumber.

"Did Tobi say something wrong?" Tobi asked innocently with a tilt of his head. "But we should probably go to school now, we're late!" he cheered with the waving of his arms.

"TOBI!?"

---

"Oi! Teme!"

He had a feeling that he was forgetting something…

"Hey! Teme!"

Did he hear something?

"I said _wait!_"

Nope, he didn't.

"Teme! I said _wait!_"

Sasuke blinked as he saw something running beside him. "Oh. It's you," he said flatly.

Naruto scowled. "Don't make it sound like you don't want me around." He frowned. "Where's my toast?"

Sasuke blinked. "Oh. Sorry. I ate it already."

"NANI?!"

"Kidding. Here," Sasuke said as he handed Naruto a piece of toast with melted butter on it.

"I always seem to like your toast better," Naruto muttered quietly before indulging himself into the pleasures of food. He chucked Sasuke what was in his right hand. "Your bag," he nodded.

Sasuke nodded back and took the canvas shoulder bag. He swung the dark object across his shoulders and frowned. "It's heavier than usual. I have to carry your stuff," he said in an accusing tone.

Naruto shrugged half-heartedly, toast still in his mouth. "Mhmhurgh," he muttered – translation: Whatever.

Sasuke glared at him before facing forwards and seeing the school. "Nearly there," he observed. He turned to look at Naruto and realised that he had yet to put on his school top. "Dobe, get your shirt on."

"Mph," Naruto whine. With the piece of half eaten toast still in his mouth, he reached to the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head. He stumbled as he tried to not let his toast drop after it was nearly out of his mouth because of the shirt being pulled over his head. He threw the shirt to Sasuke who snorted in disgust ("Dobe."). He slipped his arms through the sleeves of his blouse and yanked it up slightly to get the collar right.

"Hurry up and button it," Sasuke said from beside. "We're here."

Naruto nodded his head absent mindedly and as he had started to get the first button done, he saw a flash of pink.

The pink wasn't like a really girly pink or bright pink, or even hot pink for that matter. It reminded him of the colour of the flowers of a cherry blossom tree; simple, pastel, and perfect.

"…and… Hey, dobe. Listen and concentrate! We're nearly there," Sasuke scowled, breaking him from his train of thoughts.

"Huh?" Naruto replied dumbly. Realization dawned on him. "Oh. Yeah. Right."

And the two hurried to class as the bell rang, but Naruto couldn't help but look back to find that pink one last time…

Only it wasn't there…

---

"Made it!" the best friends puffed as they made it on time. Their classmates stared at them as they slammed open the door before laughing and clapping.

"Congratulations, Uchiha! Teacher's not here yet!" a boy laughed.

"S-Sasuke-kun! You made it in time!" a fan girl of his cried.

"Thank god!" sighed another.

"Uwah~! Sasuke-sama is so cool!"

Sasuke ignored all of this and turned to Naruto with a small smile. "We made it. Now come on," he said as they walked further into the classroom. He frowned as he noticed that the seats that _were_ empty had no empty spaces next to them. They were all single empty desks. He growled in irritation but jumped when he felt a cold hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay," Naruto smiled a small smile. "I'll sit at the back. You go sit with your friends." And he walked quite lonely to the back of the classroom.

Sasuke felt bad. First of all, his classmates had congratulated and cheered for him when he had made it on time and had completely ignored Naruto (but of course, there was Hinata, though no one could hear her cheering for Naruto), and now they were to be separated while he sat with annoying people… Urgh. Fun.

The door slide open and an authorised voice rose above the enormous amount of chatter.

"Alright guys, that's enough talking. Ma, ma; everyone seems to be very lively today, no?" smiled the teacher. "Morning, class. Sorry I'm late!"

"Morning Kakashi-sensei!" the class chimed in unison. A few 'You're late!'s were heard from loud mouths, but that was only to expect from the ever late Kakashi.

Hatake Kakashi was a handsome man in his mid to late twenties. He had striking silver hair that was normally messy no matter the circumstances, unless, of course, it was truly wet. He wore an eye patch to cover his left eye; no one seems to know what lies beyond his eye patch. Many children make up stories and theories in the playgrounds of what they think is behind his eye patch. He also covered his nose and mouth and all failed to see what we beneath his cover. However, it was rumoured that he had a very handsome face. In an attempt to find out what was behind his mask, Naruto and Sasuke had taken him out to have ramen. Just when Kakashi was about to take off his mask, Sasuke's annoying fan girls had barged into the e shop, thus being a distraction and leaving the two owners of the ramen shops awestruck by his handsome face. Sasuke and Naruto never got to see it.

Naruto had blamed Sasuke.

He was quite the lazy character, always late, never on time, but trusty and like a knight nevertheless. Caring and ready to put his life on the line for his students and friends (no one knows of his family), he was an outstanding man. However…

Kakashi flipped out his _Icha Icha_ book and started to read it.

He was _very_ fond of his _Icha Icha_ books, a series of erotic novels by the one and only Jaraiya. But other than that, not much is known about him.

"So, class, I would like a volunteer to mark the roll," he said as he continued reading his _Icha Icha_ book with full attention, even though his bored face didn't allow him to. When no hands were raised, he decided to pick someone. "Hm. Who hasn't marked the roll for awhile? Ah, yes. Naruto, come on up."

Naruto cursed under his breath and sent his sensei a glare, who, they both knew, was smiling under that mask of his. He was about to get up when his sensei stopped him.

"Ah. But before you do, class, I would like to introduce you to our newest addition to the class. Please come in," he called to the door where a shadow moved.

A thin figure entered the room and gracefully and lightly walked to next to Kakashi's desk (which was probably filled with many secret compartments and _Icha Icha_ books). A few low wolf whistles escaped some hormone raging mouths and they could only stare at the new student.

The new girl.

And at that moment, when Naruto first landed his eyes on her pretty face, he felt something in his chest and felt as if his world had turned upside down.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Haruno Sakura. Pleased to meet you," she smiled.

* * *

**Wow, I've finished this chapter!**

**The next chapter might come a bit sooner because I'm in the writing mood right now. Who knows tho? I have like lots of homework and I'm entering this drawing competition. Due Thursday and it's Sunday right now! Oh noes! I need to hurry! :O**

**Until next time!**

**xKairix  
**


	4. The Tide of Sadness

**OMGOSH.**

**sosososorry for such a late update! D:  
i've been sooo busy, and this has just been sitting completed on my laptop and it's the long weekend (starting tomorrow) so i was like WHOA, CRAP I HAVE FANFICS TO UPLOAD?!?!**

**yeah..  
school's a bitch.  
as usual.  
(:**

**how are you guys?**

**anyways, enjoy! :D**

* * *

**Black Sky**

Chapter 4: The Tide of Sadness

_A lose is to gain, a gain is to lose. The world must retain equilibrium._

It was a peaceful morning. The wind was blowing, but it was so gentle that it almost felt like a tickle to the skin and the cherry blossoms agreed to waltz with it for such lovely music was playing. The sky was cloudless and as endless as human kind could think. Staring into the blue sky, a boy saw it with his own clear blue eyes.

His face relaxed, but there was a saddened feel to it. His eyes were sore and heavy but he refused to lose. He turned to his side and watched a ladybird climb up a strand of green grass. There was a ghost of a smile on his face and he watched it steadily climb with kind eyes. But a petrified look suddenly took over his face and his face scrunched up, his lips parted and pulled downwards. He shut his eyes to try control himself and when he reopened his eyes, they were red.

His gaze was so feral that he hardly seemed human. He let out a low growl from his throat and shot his arm out towards the ladybird.

A silent cry of pain could be heard only to those who could hear voices without bodies.

He opened his fist and saw a small splodge of dark red on his palm. He suddenly remembered who he was and his eyes tore up. The ground was hit with a splash of liquid and miniature creatures jumped as they hit the ground with such tremor.

"Ugh... Ugh... Uhn..." the boy whimpered as he shook and cried to himself. He curled up in the grass and stared at it as more and more tears continued to pour out of his eyes. "I didn't mean to... I- I had to... So everyone w-will... everyone will..."

"...Hey, Naruto!"

His eyes widened in alert and he jolted up to a sitting position, with his back to the new comer. His blonde hair and his uniform could only be seen.

"Hey, where have you been?" Sasuke panted. "Everyone's been looking for you everywhere."

Naruto said nothing but kept silent. He suddenly stood up. "Everyone shouldn't bother. It's just a waste of time and effort. There's no use in trying for something so useless and stupid. Everyone should just leave me alone," he said harshly.

Sasuke couldn't say anything and Naruto had started walking away. His spiky blonde hair disappeared on the other side of the hill.

Sasuke gritted his teeth.

"Stupid idiot," he muttered.

---

Meanwhile, animated chatter filled the hallways and liveliness floated in the air as everyone was excited: today, there was going to be a new girl coming to town.

But no one really cared much until they would see her and label her as one of the stereotypes in the school and everyone continued on with their usual typical daily routine. The boys with uncreased shirts and pants sat with the girls with terribly long skirts in the corner talking about the game they placed last night – either that, or their faces were stuck behind books. The boys with thick rimmed glasses and spiky dark hair and the girls with heavy makeup stood in a silent group, as if being in a tight group would protect one another from everyone else and make them seem invisible so they wouldn't trouble them. The girls with even more makeup but with more attention and care leaned against the lockers as fit boys loomed over them with a smirk, and would lean in for a teasing kiss or two everyone now or then – often the kisses resorted into something more private. The rest all seemed to wander aimlessly or with little direction as they didn't fit into any of those groups and seemed to just like to be themselves, however they really only had one or two few true friends.

But a blonde girl walked the hallways and shook her head at the people at her. She was popular and she was pretty, but she was not making out with the guys every two seconds. No, she was different. She was in the 'Zero' category, along with many of her great friends. Those who shared the category with her were all different in personality, so they couldn't exactly be given a stereotype, but they all shared one thing: they were different.

They didn't meet the full expectations of the other stereotypes, so they were just known as 'Category Zero' because they were just that: zero. At being able to be the other stereotypes, that is. But they were usually very popular because they were all very good looking and most were very nice. They were friends with most people, and didn't have wars like the 'popular kids' and the 'losers'.

"Hey Ino-san!" a girl called out to the blonde. She was surrounded by other pretty girls with short skirts and they were waving to her to come over.

Ino grinned back but something pink caught her eye and she half-heartedly apologized to her friends behind her as she walked towards the unusual colour.

"Oi forehead-girl!"

"What, Ino pig?!" the pink haired girl instantly snapped back without thinking before turning around to look at Ino.

Anyone passing by would stop to look at Ino, the popular girl in the year, and the new girl glaring at each other with such intensity that it was hard to look away as they were overwhelmed by the feeling that the fires of hell were burning brightly behind them. They looked as if they had been enemies for years and as if being reunited meant that a bloodshed far worse than the Uchiha massacre would occur between the two and anyone who dared to interfere.

Ino and Sakura continued glaring at each other before breaking into wide grins and laughing.

"Oh my god! I can't believe I'm seeing you again!" Ino squealed as she hugged the pink haired girl and jumped around in joy.

"Same here!" Sakura squealed. She pulled away with a grin on her face. "We have so much to catch up on."

"You got that right!"

"And you're going to have to help me around school" – Sakura lowered her tone to a cheeky tone – "and show me all the hot guys around here."

Ino smirked. "Not unless I get them first."

"Hah!" Sakura scoffed. "You wish, Ino pig!"

"What did you say billboard brow?! Huh? Huh?!" Ino yelled.

"Not only are you a pig, but you're deaf also!" Sakura yelled back.

The crowd disappeared as they soon realised that the two were always like that but their yells could be heard throughout the entire school. Even the principal had to rub his temples to try contain himself.

---

"Hey, he's pretty hot. Who's he?" Sakura giggled as she pointed at a certain boy. It was lunch time and Ino was taking Sakura with her to introduce her gang of friends.

Ino looked and rolled her eyes. "_That_, my dear friend, is our very own stuck-up Uchiha Sasuke. He's hot and all but he's really unsociable and downright rude. I suggest you keep thoughts about him locked up because you'll _never_ have a chance with him. He's – "

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Sakura laughed. "What do you have against him? He doesn't seem that bad. It almost seems as if you...like him," Sakura hinted with wiggling eyebrows.

Ino rolled her eyes at her friend. "Puh-lease. He has all these girls practically kissing the ground he walks on, but I don't see what's so great about him. He has a seriously one messed up older brother, his whole family's dead and he's probably going mental. Oh, did I mention? His brother is part of this high school mafia like group. Besides, I have my own eyes set on someone else," she finished lightly to back herself up, but trying to keep the conversation from entering that certain area.

Sakura gasped. "No way!" Ino rolled her eyes at this. "Who?" Sakura demanded.

"You'll know soon enough. You'll know soon enough..." Ino trailed off as both she and Sakura headed with their lunch trays to a certain table.

"Hey, aren't we headed for the table with Uchiha-san?" Sakura pointed out.

Ino rolled her eyes. "Yeah, so what? Just because I badmouthed him doesn't mean I hate him or he's not my friend, you know."

"Then why did you?" Sakura asked quietly.

Ino was silent for awhile before she answered with a quiet voice of her own. "I don't want you to get involved in his world." She smiled brightly at the people at the table. "Guys! This is billboard brow! Be nice to her!"

Sakura frowned. "It's Haruno Sakura, Ino pig."

"Oh yeah?" Ino growled.

"Yeah!" Sakura bit back.

They were soon once again in one of their daily fights. Everyone else at the table laughed.

"Hey, hey, guys! I need your help with – "

Everyone, including Ino and Sakura, turned to the new arrival.

"Oh hey, what's up, Naruto?" Kiba, a rough looking teenage boy wearing a black hoodie and ripped jeans, grinned.

"Yeah, what did you need help with?" a boy (also known as Shikamaru) with a ponytail shaped like a pineapple asked lazily, not really caring. "It better not be troublesome." He yelped as a blonde girl jabbed him in the side quite hard. ("Temari! That hurts!" A scoff. "Like I care.")

Ino's lips tightened at the exchange before she turned back to Naruto with a forced smile. "What do you need help with?"

"Oh."

Sakura heard his voice was filled with disappointment as he glanced at her.

"I just remembered. Kakashi-sensei wanted to see me. I better go. See you guys later..."

"Huh," Ino sniffed. "That was weird."

"Too weird, if you ask me," Shikamaru muttered.

There was a thoughtful silence before Ino broke it with a grin. "Sakura! I haven't finished introducing you to everyone!"

Soon, Sakura had met Sasuke (the stuck-up ass, according to Ino), Kiba (the rough looking boy from before _completely_ obsessed with dogs, but also a skater), Shino (a slightly creepy bug obsessed guy with slightly pedo-y looking glasses), Shikamaru (a guy of great intelligence but a lazy ass at that; Sakura saw Ino's face slightly blushed as she got to him so she decided that she would question it later), Chouji (a slightly chubby boy who loved to eat and was fairly cheerful natured unless someone were to comment about his weight and build), Rock Lee (an over enthusiast who had a _terrible_ fashion sense), and Neji (a studious guy who also had a quite large ego and silent but rude attitude).

Neji also had a cousin in the group, Hinata. She was a _very_ shy and timid girl but would easily stand up for her friends if they were in need. And, Ino cheekily whispered to Sakura, she has a major crush on Naruto – it was so bad that the poor girl fainted every time she got close to him!

Sakura felt sorry for her.

Then, there was Ten Ten. Ahh. Every story needs a girl who could seriously kick butt, no? Ten Ten was a serious lover of martial arts, learning every style she could, and mastering all at a high level. She was known as a tomboy, but even Ten Ten had a love of dresses and cute things.

The spunky looking blonde chick sitting next to Shikamaru was called Temari. She had a personality quite like a tomboy. She doesn't mind hurting a few guys here and there, and flirting was quite fun in her opinion, though she really only flirted with one guy in particular. She had two adopted brothers, Gaara (a Ranga with 'issues') and Kankuro (who has a rather unhealthy obsession with puppets which maybe the reason why his pick up lines don't exactly 'pick up' very many girls).

And of course, Sakura knew Ino as the fashion loving but friend caring friend who numerously gets into fights with her over the silliest and smallest things. Ino used to go to Sakura's school before transferring to their current school. After a lot of pleading, Sakura eventually moved as well.

"Hello everyone. I got some– whoa." Sai, a handsome boy with straight black hair, blinked at the girl with pink hair in front of him. "So you're the new girl," he smiled his usual smile. From previous experience, he has learnt that, when complimenting a girl, you are to always say the opposite of what you think of them. Sai looked closely at her soft white skin, her large green eyes, and her pink lips.

_Hmm. She's alright I guess. That means I have to say..._

"You're ugly," Sai smiled bluntly.

Sakura felt something stab her heart. No – she didn't like this guy one bit, so that wasn't why she felt so hurt – she felt so hurt because that was the first time someone had so bluntly stated that she was ugly. The inner demon inside of her was about to be released... Uh oh...

Ino saw this and quickly changed the topic. "Ahaha... So, Sai! How are you today?" she said nervously.

Sai smiled. "I am good. How are you, Ms. Beautiful?"

_WHAT?!_ Sakura gasped in her mind. _He calls _me _ugly, but Ino pig _beautiful_?!_

But of course, if anyone ever knew how Sai's mind worked, they would realise that, in actual fact, Sai thought Ino was ugly.

Ino giggled. Ahh, it always felt so _nice_ to be called beautiful. She glanced sideways to see if she got a reaction out of a certain boy. She frowned. None. His face was as fucking bored as ever!

Ino whipped around to the group and grabbed her stuff. "Well, I'm going ahead early," she said in a clipped tone. "Good bye."

"Bye," the rest chorused after she was far gone. A dead wind blew and they lifelessly swayed along with it.

"That was... weird..." Kiba coughed.

"Don't worry. She's always like that," Chouji smiled as he munched on a potato chip.

"Troublesome woman," Shikamaru muttered. "That's why I hate them all. They're all so troublesome."

"What did you say?!" Temari yelled into his ear.

"Nothing!" Shikamaru grumbled back. He looked up to the sky and watched the clouds float freely – _I wish I was a cloud..._

"Blah! Who cares about her!" Kiba grumbled. "Hey, Uchiha, you still coming over tomorrow to play video games?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Depends if the dobe is going. 'Nii-san might also have something in store for me..." he finished with a dark tone.

Kiba laughed nervously. "On a lighter note, everyone has to bring their own food if they're going to my place tomorrow – "

"WHAT?!"

"HOW IS THAT ON A LIGHTER NOTE?!"

"YOU STINGY BASTARD!"

"STOP CHASING ME!"

---

"Hey dobe, are you going to Kiba's tomorrow?" Sasuke asked Naruto silently, making sure their teacher couldn't hear them.

Naruto shrugged. "Who else is going?"

"The whole gang."

"Including the girl?"

Sasuke was silent. By 'the girl', Naruto obviously meant Haruno Sakura.

"Well?"

"...I guess so. She's best friends with Ino so I don't see why not."

"Oh. Huh. Whatever," Naruto muttered.

The bell went, signalling it was the end of the day.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow," Naruto said as he walked out of the classroom in long strides.

Sasuke watched him carefully. He sighed – _There's something wrong with him_...

---

"Sooo... You coming over today Uchiha?" Kiba grinned as he put an arm around the stoic boy.

"Is Naruto?" Sasuke asked back.

"I have no idea. But seriously! Why are you only going if Naruto is?" Kiba grumbled.

Sasuke was silent. "Because I have to make sure that he doesn't get into any trouble," he said before rushing off.

"H-Hey, wait! Oi, Uchiha! School is about to...start..." Kiba finished lamely as he realised that the raven-haired boy could no longer hear him.

"Stop talking to yourself and shut your mouth; I wouldn't want the boyfriend of my relative to be as stupid looking as you," came a cold voice from beside him.

"What did you say Hyuuga?" Something ticked in Kiba's head and his face went red. "A-AND WHA-WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT BEING THE B-B-BOYFRIEND OF – ?!"

"Oh do you ever shut up, Inuzuka."

"H-HEY! I-I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU, HYUUGA!"

---

"Huh? W-where is Naruto-kun?" Hinata stuttered, cheeks fairly rosy.

"Oh!" Ino gasped. "And Sasuke-kun too! They've disappeared."

The group of friends looked around the classroom and they couldn't see both of the boys.

"Maybe they're just sick..?" Chouji mused.

"Nah, man. I saw Uchiha this morning. He muttered something about Naruto and left," Kiba pointed out.

"Hmm...This is strange," Sakura said.

Shikamaru shrugged and placed his head on the desk. "How troublesome..." he muttered before falling asleep. Everyone sweat dropped at how quickly the lazy boy could get to sleep. They wondered if having a high IQ requires a lot of energy.

They thought about this.

Probably not.

"But this is terrible! Something might've happened to Naruto-kun if Sasuke-kun went after him!" Sakura frowned.

"Ooh, getting informal with honorifics, aye?" Ino hinted and nudged the blushing pinkette.

"Oh, shut up!" Sakura snapped back. "Ino pig."

"Billboard brow!"

"Dumb – "

"Haruno! Yamanaka! Is there something you would like to share?" demanded the teacher from up the front.

"No, sensei," they chorused together.

"Then stop talking."

"Hai," they chorused. When the teacher continued his lecture, they both sighed in relief. The group of friends went back to work all the while thinking about the two boys who had mysteriously disappeared.

---

"Hey!" Sasuke was tired, but he kept on running, willing his heavy legs to move faster. "Wait up! Dobe!" He kept pushing himself; he was getting closer – so close that he could touch Naruto's shoulder. "I said wait –!"

"Shut up!" Naruto growled as he whirled around and slapped Sasuke's hand away.

Sasuke stared at Naruto in shock, forgetting how tired he was and not realising how badly his legs were shaking from going over their limits.

"What?" he breathed.

"I said shut up," Naruto snapped. "Go away. I don't need you to protect me all the time. I'm not the same as I was years ago. I can take care of myself." Naruto's eyes saddened, knowing what he was about to say next would hurt Sasuke quite badly.

"...And I have Itachi-san..." Naruto's fist tightened. "So please... Don't follow me..." he said in a strangled whisper before running off.

_I'm sorry, Sasuke. I'm sorry. But I had to say that to protect you. I can't let you know the truth... It would be best if you didn't know..._

He arrived in front of a large warehouse. In front of the door stood the _Akatsuki_.

"Are you ready?" Itachi asked.

_Of the things I'm about to do..._

"Yes," Naruto said with strong determination in his eyes.

---

Sirens blared and bright lights flashed into the eyes of many and caught unneeded attention from dark houses on the street. The constant wails of babies deafened many as neighbours came to see what had happened. Murmurs and whispers hovered above the crowd shielded away by the police and the bright yellow tape that separated them from the house.

Unclear responses came from walkie talkies held in the policemen's hands as others went in to search the house for their priorities: living life forces, otherwise known as humans. They would search for evidence much later; that could wait.

But even as much as they stood in the scene, trying to help, it did not stop the ground seeping with blood from the lords of the mansion. Their bodies, blanketed under a deep red cloak, were asleep inside the building. And everyone knew that they would not be waking up any time soon. Red embers glowed brightly and retreated as their enemies came into contact with them; they were defeated. But they had fulfilled their purpose they were given when born: to destroy.

But nothing more could already destroy a certain girl's heart as she watched the scene in grief and despair.

"Sakura! T-They're... they're dead!" Ino cried. "They're gone! My p-parents... they're dead! And my house... it's destroyed! I've got nothing left, Sakura! I-I –"

"Shhh," Sakura cooed. "It's okay," she choked on her tears. "It'll be alright..."

But she could not be sure as she and her sobbing best friend stood in front of the burnt house swallowing many policemen and firemen who dared to enter and meet the ruins of many years of blood, sweat, and tears.

**TBC...**

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**Oh wowsies. Sakura has been added in and DUHN DUHN DUUUUHN, SHUSHPENSHEEEEH.**

**:DD**

**anways, until next time! ^^**


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